BOARD OF
SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Meeting
for Week of February 6, 2007
A special meeting was held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday,
February 5, 2007 at Skamania County Emergency Operations Center, 200 NW
Vancouver Avenue in Stevenson, with Commissioners Paul Pearce, Chair, and Jamie
Tolfree present, for the purpose of declaring a local emergency due to
landslide activity in the Piper Road/Rock Creek area of Stevenson. Commissioner Richardson was present via phone
conference. No action was taken at this
meeting.
The meeting recessed at 11:45 a.m. Monday, February 5, 2007
and reconvened at 12:00 p.m. the same date at the Commissioner’s Meeting Room,
240 NW Vancouver Avenue in Stevenson, with Commissioners Paul Pearce, Chair and
Jamie Tolfree present. Commissioner
Richardson was present via phone conference.
Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner
Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to approve Resolution 2007-10 declaring
a local emergency due to landslide activity in the Piper Road/Rock Creek area
of Stevenson.
The meeting recessed at 12:25 p.m., Monday, February 5,
2007 and reconvened at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 6, 2007 at the
Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 240 NW Vancouver Avenue in Stevenson, with
Commissioners Paul Pearce, Chair, James D. Richardson and Jamie Tolfree
present.
The Board participated in a staff workshop to discuss
landslide activity in the Piper Road/Rock Creek area, with no action taken.
The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday,
February 6, 2007 at the Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 240 NW Vancouver Avenue in
Stevenson, with Commissioners Paul Pearce, Chair, James D. Richardson and Jamie
Tolfree present, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Joelle McGonagle, Gary Johnson, and Bill Shelton advised of
concerns expressed in a letter recently sent to the Commissioners regarding
construction/road building along Carson Creek off of Depot Road.
Commissioner
Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried
unanimously to approve the Consent Agenda as follows:
1. Minutes for week of January
30, 2007.
2. Liquor license application
for Gorge Crest Winery.
3. Acknowledge receipt of
letter from concerned property owners regarding excavation/land development in
area of Columbia Heights/Burke Short Plat/Carson Creek & forward to
Planning Department.
4. Set public hearing for 1:30
PM Tuesday, February 20, 2007 to consider Ordinance 2007-05 amending Skamania
County Code Chapter 3.45 Current Use Assessment Programs, Section 3.45.11
Primary Use for Forest Crop Production to include language for any parcel that
was in the process of a land division at the time of adoption.
5. Set public hearing for 2:00
PM Tuesday, February 20, 2007 to receive public comment and possibly take
action on a nuisance violation on property located at 401 Harder Road owned by
Terry and Sylvia Shoell.
6. Bid award for two 50-cubic
yard drop boxes with retractable lid and one 39-cubic yard recycle container
with center divider.
7. Contract with City of North
Bonneville to provide law enforcement services within City limits.
8. Contract with City of North
Bonneville to provide incarceration services for City municipal inmates.
9. Agreement amendment #2 with
Greater Columbia Behavioral Health extending the term and replacing the service
table for the Mental Health Block Grant.
10. Contract with Northwest
Hydro, Inc to provide bathymetry one-foot contour map of Wind River Boat Launch
site.
11. Contract with Flowing
Solutions LLC to provide permitting design assistance for Wind River Boat Ramp.
12. Contract with James W. Potts
to provide County representation during legislative sessions, meetings &
conferences of interest to the County.
13. Resolution 2007-07 Canceling Uncollectible Personal Property Taxes.
Representatives from Public Works, the Sheriff’s Office and the City of
Stevenson were present for a report on the Piper Road/Rock Creek area
landslide. Discussion included the need
to dredge sediment from the mouth of Rock Creek, notification to area
residents, action plan, daily updates, press releases, and the need to
establish a joint information center.
Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and
motion carried unanimously to authorize Public Works to enter into contracts
for emergency excavation of Rock Creek material from the Rock Creek Drive bridge
to State Road 14 bridge.
The Auditor advised of pending 2006 vouchers for various
departments. Commissioner Tolfree moved,
seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to assure
that all 2006 vouchers for various departments would be paid.
The Board met in executive session regarding litigation from 10:40 a.m.
until 11:00 a.m., with action taken.
Richard Robinson, Public Works Project Engineer presented a written
report for Public Works.
Karen
Witherspoon, Planning and Community Development Director presented the 2006
Annual Report, and reported on an upcoming Community Growth meeting and
Columbia River Gorge Commission meeting, Hearing Examiner request for
proposals, Westend Subarea Plan, and Western WRIA 29 Instream Flow grant.
The
Board participated in a workshop to discuss a draft memorandum of understanding
with the City of Stevenson regarding emergency excavation of Rock Creek, with
no action taken.
The
meeting recessed at 11:55 a.m. Tuesday, February 6, 2007 and reconvened at 1:35
p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree present.
A public hearing was held,
continued from January 23, 2007 for deliberations by the Board, to consider
Ordinance 2007-01 extending the moratorium for an additional six-months on the
acceptance and processing of land divisions creating lots of less than 10
acres, on the construction/placement of more than one single-family dwelling
per legal lot of record, and the acceptance and processing of State
Environmental Policy Act checklists related to forest practice conversions for
any parcel located within the area generally known as the Swift Subarea of
Skamania County. The hearing was
previously closed to written and oral comments.
Motion was made by Commissioner Tolfree and seconded by Commissioner
Richardson to approve Ordinance 2007-01.
Following discussion, Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner
Richardson and motion carried unanimously to amend the first motion to include
a review of the moratorium at the Board’s first public meeting in May
2007. The first motion to approve
Ordinance 2007-01 as presented carried unanimously.
The
meeting recessed at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday, February 6, 2007 and reconvened at 2:05
p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree present.
The
Board participated in a workshop with the Noxious Weed Control Board to discuss
unemployment issues, with no action taken.
Commissioner
Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried
unanimously to approve contracts with Cascade Equipment and Construction and
McNealy Excavating, Inc. for emergency excavation of Rock Creek material from
the Rock Creek Drive bridge to State Road 14 bridge due to the Piper Road/Rock
Creek area landslide.
The
meeting recessed at 2:55 p.m. Tuesday, February 6, 2007 and reconvened at 10:25
a.m. Wednesday, February 7, 2007, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and
Tolfree present.
The Board participated in a workshop with Planning
and Community Development to discuss the Comprehensive Plan and Swift Subarea,
SEPA impact fees, storm water management and permissive rainwater harvesting
systems, vacant Permit Technician position, and a letter regarding Carson
Creek, with no action taken.
The
Board participated in a workshop with the Recreation and Facilities Director to
discuss Rock Creek Community Services Center, Courthouse expansion, Rock Creek
mini remodel, upcoming hotel/motel agreement, and Fair issues, with no action
taken.
Ole
Helgerson, WSU Cooperative Extension Agent gave updates on the 4-H program,
Title III programs, forestry, and gardening and pest management.
The Board continued in a workshop with Planning and
Community Development to discuss the Comprehensive Plan and Swift Subarea, with
no action taken.
The
meeting recessed at 1:55 p.m. Wednesday, February 7, 2007 and reconvened at
2:15 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree
present.
The Board participated in a workshop with the
Assessor to discuss reorganization and the expanded use of Terra Scan System,
with no action taken.
The Board met in executive session regarding
personnel from 3:19 p.m. until 3:35 p.m., with no action taken.
The Board participated in a workshop with Central
Services regarding internet and computer policies, with no action taken.
The
meeting recessed at 3:50 p.m. Wednesday, February 7, 2007 and reconvened at
10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 8, 2007, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson
and Tolfree present.
The
Board participated in a staff workshop to discuss federal forest funding and
scheduling, with no action taken.
The
meeting recessed at 10:45 a.m. Thursday, February 8, 2007 and reconvened at
11:00 a.m. the same date, with Commissioners Richardson and Tolfree present.
Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and
motion carried to approve 13th month vouchers for the period ending
December 31, 2006 in the total amount of $54,123.62.
Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and
motion carried to approve vouchers for the period ending February 8, 2007 in
the total amount of $679,774.27.
Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and
motion carried to approve a voucher to Department of Retirement Systems in the
total amount of $645.21.
Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and
motion carried to approve payroll for the period ending January 31, 2007 in the
total amount of $1,048,285.49.
Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion
carried to ratify the Chair’s signing on February 7, 2007 of a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of
Stevenson for emergency and mitigation works related to protection of property,
individuals and flood control on the lower portion of Rock Creek due to
landslide activity.
Commissioner Pearce joined the meeting at approximately 11:25 a.m.
The Board met with representatives from the Mosquito Control Board to
discuss spraying and treatment on County property in the Home Valley area from
Wind River to Grant Lake, with no action taken.
The
meeting recessed at 11:55 a.m. Thursday, February 8, 2007 and reconvened at
2:45 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree
present.
Commissioner
Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried
unanimously to approve to approve a Temporary License Agreement and Stipulation
for Construction with Joseph and Diane Birkenfeld to enter upon land for access
to Rock Creek for excavation of material and placement of material on the
subject property due to the Piper Road/Rock Creek area landslide activity.
Commissioner
Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried
unanimously to approve an agreement with Skamania County Mosquito Control
District to conduct an assessment of mosquito infestation in the area from Wind
River to Grant Lake inclusive.
The
meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, February 8, 2007.
BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS
SKAMANIA
COUNTY, WASHINGTON